Conservation Resources 

r la-EWaA Tmu I 



33d Congress, ) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ( Report 
2c? Session. \ j No. 94. 



F 203 
.4 

. U3 U4 
Copy 2 



MONUMENT 



THE MEMORY OF WASHINGTON. 



[to accompany joint resolution ko. 58.] 



February 22, 1855. — Ordered that 100,000 extra copies be printed. 



On the 13th of July, 1854, it was resolved that a select committee of 
thirteen members be appointed, to consider the memorial of the Wash- 
ington National Monument Society, and the 1 " 'following gentlemen were 
appointed the members of the committee : 



Mr. MA V, of Mart/land, Chairman. 

Mr. J. GLANCY JONES, of Pennsylvania. 

Mr. REESE, of Georgia. 

Mr. PURYEAR, of North Carolina. 

Mr. HASTINGS, of New York. 

Mr. ELIOT, of Massachusetts. 

Mr. OLIVER, of Missouri. 












Mr. PRATT, of Connecticut. 
Mr. ELLISON, of Ohio. 
Mr. VAIL, of New Jersey. 
Mr. McMULLEN, of Virginia 
Mr. MACY, of Wisconsin. 
Mr. UOWDELL, of Alabama. 












WASHINGTON: 

A O. P. NICHOLSON, PRINTER 

1855. 






.4- 



REPORT. 



Mr. May, from the Select Committee on the Washington National 
Monument, made the following report : 

The Select Committee of Thirteen, to whom was referred the memorial of the 
Board of Managers of the Washington National Monument Society, beg 
leave to report : 

That this memorial states, "that in the year 1833, an association 
of individuals was formed in this city for the purpose of raising funds, 
by appeals to the patriotism of the people, for the erection of a monu- 
ment, in the national metropolis, to the memory of the Father of his 
Country. 

" That your memorialists, and their predecessors, elected managers 
of the association, have gratuitously given their services, at great per- 
sonal sacrifice, to the promotion of its objects ; that they have been 
enabled to raise the proposed monument to the height of 170 feet ; that 
347 feet remain yet to be erected; that the funds of the association are 
entirely exhausted; and all recent efforts ion the part of your memo- 
rialists to obtain means for completing the* work have proved abortive, 
and that your memorialists are unable to devise any plan more likely 
to succeed. 

"Under these circumstances, they feel it to be their duty to bring 
to the notice of the representatives of the States and people of the 
Union these facts, in order that such action may be had on them as to 
the assembled wisdom and patriotism of the nation may seem meet. 

"ARCH. HENDERSON, 

11 First Vice-President. 
"ELISHA WHITTLESEY/ 

" General Agent. 
"JOHN CARROLL BRENT, 

" Secretary. ," 

It will be seen that no specific prayer is presented ; but upon the 
facts stated above, the society submits it to the wisdom of Congress to 
provide such measures as may be appropriate to the subject. 

Your committee conceive, that the duty is devolved upon them, on 
the part of the House of Representatives, to recommend such meas- 
ures ; and being deeply impressed with all the associations attending 
so interesting and hallowed a subject, they have well considered it. 

As early as 1783 Congress ordered that an equestrian statue of 
Washington should be erected, " to testify the love, admiration, and 
gratitude of his countrymen;" and again, when the mournful intelli- 
gence of his death was communicated, on 24th December, 1799, that 
a marble monurnent, with suitable inscriptions, should be erected in 
the Capitol to the memory of Washington, and that it be " so designed 
as to commemorate the great events of his military and political life." 
It is painful to observe that these resolutions have not yet been exe- 



4 MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF WASHINGTON. 

cuted. Perhaps the claims of kindred, and of his native State, have 
prevailed against that resolution, which ordered that his remains should 
be entombed beneath the monument to be erected in the Capitol. We 
know that his honored widow consented that this should be done; yet, 
Mount Vernon still holds the sacred remains of him who was " first in 
war, first in peace, and first, in the hearts of his countrymen." Your 
committee could not but feel that these obligations, resolved upon, as 
they were, by the great and good men who were witnesses of his 
sublime life and character, and who were also associates of his fame, 
yet remain upon Congress. 

Aware that a marble statue has been erected within the grounds of 
the Capitol, and an equestrian statue ordered by the last Congress to 
be raised, yet your committee think that these testimonials are not ade- 
quate to fulfil the obligation so solemnly assumed. 

States and cities have raised their grateful tributes, in marble, to 
Washington. Maryland, near forty years ago, undertook her part in 
this patriotic duty, and her noble monument, at Baltimore, attests 
the love and gratitude of her people towards a chief whose steps their 
fathers so faithfully followed through the trying scenes of the Revo- 
lution. And Virginia, with gratitude unsatisfied by a faithful statue, 
is now raising, at Richmond, a monument, proportioned to the great- 
ness of her son. And North Carolina, too, invoked the highest living 
art to present, at Raleigh, tile image of the Father of his Country, to 
the admiring eyes of her patriotic children. And memorials of public 
and- private love and gratitude towards him are to be found through- 
out the land, commemorating a universal veneration. But no national 
tribute of adequate design has yet been raised — no offering fit to 
denote a country's gratitude has been constructed. Yet who shall 
deny that the fame of Washington deserves the grandest of human 
monuments, or say that such tributes can be multiplied beyond the 
measure of his claims? 

A voluntary association of patriotic citizens of Washington, as early 
as 1833, conceived the purpose of erecting a national monument to the 
memory of Washington at the Metropolis of the republic. This as- 
sociation was organized under the name of "The Washington National 
Monument Society;" Chief Justice Marshall was its first president, 
and after him ex-President Madison. The proposed monument was 
intended to be raised by the voluntary contributions of the American 
people. The society was organized on an admirable plan, and its 
officers undertook the duties assigned to them by its constitution, and 
have, as your committee are well satisfied, faithfully performed them. 

The funds were to be collected in all parts of the United States ; 
and agents, as competent and as faithful as could be found, were ap- 
pointed, after giving bond for the performance of their duties. 

These agents were sent to all parts of the country, and contribu- 
tions were commenced and continued by the subscription of $1 for 
each person. This plan was adopted in order that all might have the 
opportunity to contribute. 

In the appointment of these agents a careful scrutiny was exercised 
by the society, and undoubted recommendations of both character 
and capacity were in every case required ; and, though an opinion 



MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF WASHINGTON. 

may prevail in some parts of the country to the contrary, your com- 
mittee are satisfied that these agents generally proved to be worthy 
of the confidence reposed in them. 

Of the large number employed, but two of them failed to account 
for the money collected, and legal measures, resorted to promptly by 
the society against their bonds, have, in one of these instances, ob- 
tained the full amount of the liability. 

It may well be questioned if any society executing a plan for col- 
lecting money so extensively has met with equal success in justifying 
the integrity of its agents ; and it is pleasing to state that not one cent 
of the funds received by this society has at any time been lost by in- 
vestments or otherwise. 

The sum of $2S,000 having been raised upon this plan, it was judi- 
ciously invested in safe funds yielding interest ; and then the pulpit, 
the press, and the ballot-box were all invoked to aid the work ; and 
days of sacred and patriotic associations were employed to invite a 
general contribution. 

The restriction as to the amount of subscription being removed in 
1845, the whole funds amounted by accumulations of interest then 
to $G2,450, and the work of building the monument was at length 
begun in the year 184S. 

An appropriate site on the banks of the Potomac was selected out 
of the public reservation, under a grant from Congress. Its location 
is most eligible. Here the first light of the morning sun will salute, 
and the last rays of evening rest upon its lofty head. The coinci- 
dence is striking and interesting, that the monument now in progress 
is on the same site which is marked on Major L'Enfant's map for 
the equestrian statue of Washington ordered by Congress in 1783 ; 
and that the map, after General Washington had examined and ap- 
proved it, was presented by him to Congress. 

Near this unfinished monument is the Smithsonian Institution. 
Its edifice is completed, its system in practical operation, and its an- 
nual income thirty thousand dollars. So much easier has it been 
found to give effect to the bounty of a benevolent foreigner, than to 
the gratitude of a nation to its founder. 

The first object to meet the view, and inspire the patriotic feelings 
of the visiter to the national metropolis, the Washington Monument 
will stand before the eyes of the resident or sojourner as a perpetual 
memorial of him whose whole life was so signal an example of public 
virtue and patriotism. 

On the 4th of Jul)' - , 1848, the corner-stone was laid. A plan had 
been selected, after careful consideration of many-that were proposed, 
and your committee highly approve of the design. 

It is a noble monument, altogether worthy of the sublime character 
of which it is to be a grateful testimonial. 

Its foundations are deeply, broadly, and securely laid, and are suf- 
ficient to support the entire superstructure. 

The work, so far as it has been performed, has been faithfully done. 
It appears to be plain, yet beautiful ; and your committee are satisfied 
that it will be enduring. 

Each State and two of the Territories of the Union have contributed 



6 MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF WASHINGTON. 

a block of marble or stone, inscribed with its arms or some suitable 
device, and a great many others have been offered by various institu- 
tions and societies throughout the land ; and several foreign govern- 
ments have testified their desire to unite in this great work of humanity, 
intended to commemorate the virtues of its chief ornament and ex- 
ample. The boundaries of Christendom do not limit his fame, which 
reaches to the remotest parts of the earth, and the most distant and iso- 
lated nations have testified their veneration towards his memory. 
Switzerland, Rome, Bremen, Turkey, Greece, China, and Japan, have 
piously united to pay their homage to our Washington. Such tributes 
are our highest trophies. The history of mankind affords no parallel to 
this. 

We feel bound, in this place, especially to commend the zeal and 
liberality of the Masonic societies, the order of Odd-Fellows, the vari- 
ous fire companies, and the touching contributions of the children of 
the schools of the country — all regularly dedicating their affectionate 
tributes, and the Cherokee and Chickasaw nations of Indians also 
deserve to be honored for their very liberal donations of money ; com- 
memorating also in this the eloquent sentiment of the great chief, Corn- 
planter, delivered to Washington in 1791 : " The voice of the Seneca 
nation speaks to you, the great Councillor, in whose heart the wise men 
of all the thirteen Fires have placed their wisdom." 

The shaft of the monument now reaches to the height of 170 feet. 
It is intended to be raised to the full height of 517 feet; so that, when 
completed, this monument will be proportionate to the character of 
its subject — the loftiest in the world. 

The sum of $230,000 has been already expended upon the work, 
and the sum of $322,000 will be needed to complete the shaft; while 
the cost of the whole work, including shaft and pantheon, or base, is 
estimated to be $1,122,000. Let the present generation at least com- 
plete the shaft, and we may then permit those who come after us to 
finish the whole work. 

You committee have derived this information from the competent 
officers of the society, its architect, and its agents, who have charge 
of the work, and who have attended the sittings of the committee, 
explained the subject, and produced before it their plans, books, ac- 
counts, and other evidences of their transactions. 

The duties of this society have demanded the constant attention of 
its members; and it is very gratifying to the committee to state, that 
neither the president, vice-presidents, treasurer, secretary, nor any of 
the managers or members, have, from its institution, received or desired 
any compensation whatever. Their services have been, and will con- 
tinue to be, wholly gratuitous. 

We unanimously approve the plan of this monument, and of the 
work that has been already done ; and we bear cheerful testimony to 
the energy, integrity, economy, and patriotic love which have ani- 
mated and governed the transactions of this society, and especially 
we commend the design of building this monument by the voluntary 
contributions of the people of the United States. 

We do not intend to disturb this happy arrangement, or to with- 
draw from the exclusive jurisdiction and control of so faithful a 



MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF WASHINGTON. 7 

society the completion of a work so well begun and prosecuted ; we 
trust, and doubt not, that it will go on, with continued attention on 
the part of the board of managers, and of the people of the whole 
country. 

But, at the same time, your committee think that a subscription to 
aid the work is due by Congress. By the faith of obligations which 
we have before recited, by the fact that his commission as Commander- 
in-Chief was bestowed on Washington by Congress, and all his 
glorious military services performed under their orders and authority, 
and by the further consideration that a sum subscribed by Congress 
will probably be the only mode by which each and all of the people of 
the United States can be said to add their share to this grateful me- 
morial, your committee recommend that the sum of two hundred 
thousand dollars should be subscribed by Congress on behalf of the 
people of the United States, to aid the funds of the society. This was 
the sum devoted to the monument ordered by the resolutions of 1799, 
and voted by the House of Representatives on the 1st of January, 
1801. 

In making this recommendation we expressly disclaim engaging for 
any further aid by Congress to the work, on the distinct ground, that 
whilst it is proper Congress should make a liberal subscription to- 
wards it, yet it is both the right and duty of the people of the United 
States to complete it. 

We cannot doubt that their disposition will prove more than ade- 
quate to this result, and that this holy work should hereafter be ex- 
clusively committed to them — to the several States, cities, towns, and 
other organized communities, of the whole country. 

Assuring them, as we again do, of its noble proportions and beauty — 
of its solid and enduring plan and materials — of the fidelity of the 
work done — of the integrity, economy, energy, and system, that have 
marked the duties of the members of this society — and of their disin- 
terested and patriotic zeal, we commend to the care of our countrymen 
this tribute of a republic's love, admiration, and gratitude towards 
him who, under the providence of God, was the chief author of its 
freedom, its dignity, and its happiness. 

We report herewith a joint resolution, and subjoin the names of the 
officers and Board of Managers of the Society. 



8 MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF WASHINGTON. 

The Officers and Board of Managers of the Washington National Monu- 
ment Society. 

FRANKLIN PIERCE, President of the United States, 

and cx-ojficio President. 
ARCH. HENDERSON, First Vice President. 

♦JOHN W. MAURY, Mayor of Washington, 

and ex-ojjicio Second Vice President. 

THO. CARBERY, Third Vice President. 

J. B. H. SMITH, Treasurer. 

•GEO. WATTERSTON, Secretary. 

Managers. 



Winfield Scott, 

*N. Towson, 
Peter Force, 
W. W. Seaton, 
W. A. Bradley, 
W. W. Corcoran, 
P. R. Fendall, 



Walter Jones, 

Thos. Blagden, 

Walter Lenox, 

M. F. Maury, 

T. Hartley Crawford, 

Benj. Ogle Tayloe, 

Elisha Whittlesey. 



'Now deceased. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 368 901 3 



II II III B 

01 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 368 9013 m 



